Brothers By Choice
by T3hWh1t3P4nth3r
Summary: The Malfoys and the Potters were friends before BOTH met an early end. Draco and Harry are like brothers to each other. Though it might seem a bit like it at times, this is NOT a Drarry fic. Sorry... Rated for language mostly... OOCness
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: Ok. I know I haven't posted anything for a while, but I've been pretty busy. That and I've been having MAJOR writer's block. So, I hope this fanfic makes up for it. There will be quite a few chapters.

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Messing with a great story is the only thing that I can take credit for. Ergo, plot = MINE!

WARNING: If you have diabetes, you should take caution whilst reading this fic. There is a possibility theat it may be too sweet at times for you to handle. You've been warned…

Summary: Long story short… Draco and Harry are going to be brothers. Sorta… While it may seem like Drarry at times, it is NOT. Sorry to disappoint my fellow Drarry fan girls.

Chapter One: Unhappy Halloween

"Oh, Narcissa! He looks positively adorable!" Lily giggled as her friends, Lucius and Narcissa, arrived with their year old son, Draco. Being Halloween, he was dressed in costume. His parents had thought it highly appropriate to dress him as a devil. Not that he was a bad child. He just had a habit of getting into trouble.

James came out to greet their guests, carrying Harry on his shoulders. Quite contrasting to Draco, Harry was dressed as an angel. As soon as the two boys saw each other, they began to smile and giggle. But mostly, they started trying to wiggle free of their parents' grips.

"Oh, alright." James chuckled, letting Harry down to the floor.

"Play nice, Draco," Narcissa said, setting her son down as well. He gave her a quick smirk before he and Harry tottered off to play in the living room.

"Oh, that boy…" Narcissa grinned, shaking her head lightly.

"He'll grow up into quite the heart-throb," Lily said. "He's a beautiful little boy."

"As is Harry. He looks so much like James, but he has your eyes. He'll get more than his fair share of attention." The two mothers continued to chatter as they went to watch their sons play.

"Hey, Lucius!" James called from the kitchen. "Come and give me a hand, would ya?"

"On my way," Lucius gave his wife a kiss on the cheek before heading to help James with dinner.

As the two boys played, Harry's foot caught on the edge of the rug and he fell. His knee was an angry red from the rug burn he received. But, before either mother had much time to react, Draco was kneeling beside his fallen friend.

"It's okay.." Draco said, placing a light kiss on Harry's injured knee. "There. All bettew." This made the raven-haired child smile. They got up and went right back to playing.

Narcissa was giggling. "Oh my goodness…" She looked at Lily. "That's what I do whenever Draco gets hurt."

"He's a quick learner, isn't he?" Lily asked, observing how the blonde little boy was able to accurately explain things to his slightly younger counterpart.

"Sometimes I think he's a little too smart for his own good. He understands things when they are explained to him, and he can remember more than just the basics. He remembers the minute little details. He's a real help sometimes when I can't remember where I put something." Narcissa had a thoughtful expression on her face as she watched the boys chase each other and, occasionally, tackle each other. " I don't understand how he can be an average little kid one moment, and then be serious and focused the next…"

"Well," Lily mused, "It seems to me like he'll be every teenage girls' dream boy. Looks AND brains."

"Excuse us, ladies," came the voices of their husbands. "Dinner is served." Narcissa and Lily burst out laughing as they turned around and saw their husbands each dressed in ridiculous costumes. Lucius: a circus clown and James: a white bunny.

"Why on Earth are you dressed like that?" they struggled to ask between outbreaks of laughter.

The men shared a brief glance and shrugged. "What? It's Halloween…"

After they managed to catch their breath, they had dinner. Once the main course was done, Lily scurried into the kitchen and emerged with a plate of cookies. Both Draco's and Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the savory treat.

"Mummy, can I have one, please?" Draco asked with a look that could only be described as angelic. Narcissa smiled as she handed him the sweet.

Harry turned to his own mother. "Pease?" Lily gave him one and placed a kiss on the top of his head.

Once they had finished their treats, the boys scurried off to rough house some more. "Poker, anyone?" James said, holding up the cards. They all took their seats around the table as the cards were dealt.

The toddlers played until they wore themselves out. Lily turned around and saw them snuggled up together, both fast asleep. "How cute…" she said. She nudged Narcissa to turn around. She smiled. "We can take them up to the crib real quick," Lily suggested, as they gently scooped up the sleeping boys. "We'll be right back…" they said, ascending the stairs to the nursery room.

Lucius leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, thinking aloud. "We're going to have our hands full in a few years, aren't we?"

James chuckled. "That we will." As they spoke, it began to storm. Both men jumped slightly as there was a huge crash of thunder. Illuminated by a flash of lightning, was a figure stalking up towards the house. Both men drew their wands as a hooded figure burst through the front door.

"You have two options," came a cruel, icy voice. "You can either join me… or you can die."

Lucius fired spells at the intruder as James ran to the foot of the stairs. "Protect the boys!" he bellowed.

The mothers shared a fearful glance. They understood all too well what was going on. They locked the door to the nursery. Tears filled their eyes as they heard the dying cries of the men that they loved. The children had awakened, clutched to their silently sobbing mothers.

Narcissa and Lily kissed their sons as they set them in the crib. "We love you so much," they said. "Us and your fathers love you so, so much…"

The door burst open with a flash of green light. They drew their wands, knowing that they wouldn't win. "You will not harm them," Narcissa said defiantly. "Take us instead. If you can!" The brave women fired a volley of spells, but, alas, all in vain. They were no match. With two simple words and the flick of a wrist, the mothers fell.

The figure then turned towards the crib where the two infants lie. As he approached, Draco held Harry, now crying, in what seemed like an effort to protect him.

The figure scoffed, his red eyes locking with the child's eyes of quick silver. "Avada Kedavra!" he shrieked. The room was filled with a flash of blinding green light and the infants' screams.

Note: This is only chapter 1. Meaning there will be more. Meaning you no shoot me for the ending. K? Oh, and please do review. I'd LOVE to hear what you thought. Also, let me know if you have any stories you want me to do.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: BAM! Two chapters in one night. I hope it makes up for me not posting in such a long time…

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing… *tear* I am but a lowly muggle, therefore I am not as awesome as the magically talented J. . (That was my groveling bit. Hope you liked it) :D Oh, and one more thing… REVIEW!

Ch 2: The Nightmare

Draco bolted awake, clutching at the lightning shaped scar on his chest. It had been nine years since that night, but it still haunted him. He hated these reoccurring nightmares that he had. How often had he woken up with the terrible melody of those screams ringing in his ears? How often had he secretly wished that horrible night had been his last as well?

He looked over at Harry, still sound asleep in the bed next to his own. _'But how could I ever leave you? My little brother?'_ he thought.

He sat up and ran his fingers through his silvery blond hair. A faint smile graced his lips as he watched the younger boy sleep. _'He looks so peaceful…'_ he thought.

Though Draco could vividly remember that awful night, Harry had remained oblivious all through the years. He had no recollection of his parents. Draco couldn't bring himself to tell Harry the truth: that their parents had been murdered or that he wasn't really Harry's twin brother, which Harry was so thoroughly convinced of. In a way, though, they were brothers. Brothers by choice. They had been together for as long as they could remember. They still remained together in the orphanage, waiting for the day that they would find a home to call their own.

Draco lay back down and attempted to find sleep once more. A more peaceful sleep, hopefully. He was drifting off into the haze of his mind when he heard a faint whimpering. He opened his eyes and saw Harry standing at the side of his bed. His eyes were glistening with tears.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Draco asked gently. Harry did not verbalize a response. He simply nodded his head. "Come on, then…" Draco lifted the blankets so Harry could clamber in beside him. Harry did so gratefully, sinking into Draco's warm embrace.

"I'm glad you're my brother, Draco…" he said before fading into sleep.

Draco pushed back Harry's raven-black hair, revealing a scar identical to the one that he bore. He placed a soft kiss on the sleeping boy's forehead. "Sleep well, little brother…" It wasn't long before he too was taken by sleep.

Note: I know. It's short. But it gets longer later… *chuckles* That's what he said… Ok. I've officially stayed up WAY too late. I'm starting to get all pervy. So, review, let me know what you think, and give me ideas for a fic/pairing/genre/whatever… Thanks! 3 u guys!


	3. Chapter 3

Authors note: So, this one is longer than the last one. I'm not sure how well this one is going to flow. It's a little rough. But you should be able to understand it pretty well.

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own anything. Well, actually, I do. There are like 7 OC's in this chapter… So, I own them, but nothing that's actually from the world of Harry Potter. Which is sad… I'd love to own Draco… Enjoy the story, and please review. ^-^

Chapter 3: Adoption Day

They were woken the next morning by an excited little girl named Celena. She had sleek, jet black hair and eyes as blue as the sea. She was about six years old, and she liked to think of Draco and Harry as her 'big brothers'.

"It's adoption day! Get up! Get up!" She started shaking Draco's shoulders.

"Alright, alright…" Draco turned and looked into her innocent eyes. "We'll be right out." He said, a kind smile playing at his lips.

"OK, but don't go back to sleep!" she giggled as she scurried from the room.

Draco started to shake Harry awake lightly. "Harry… Harry, wake up!" The sleeping boy rolled over, trying to ignore his brother. "It's adoption day… You don't want to be late, do you?"

Harry sprang up, suddenly wide awake. "It's adoption day!?" He leapt from the bed and ran to get ready. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?!"

"I tried," Draco said, pulling on his royal blue T-shirt. "You resisted." He couldn't help but smirk as he watched Harry scurry about the room, trying to find his favorite shirt.

"Aha!" he cried from under the bed. "Found it!" He crawled back out, clutching a bright green shirt. He slid it on and started for the door. "Let's go!"

Breakfast was louder than usual. All the kids were chattering excitedly about the possibility of getting adopted. They made their way over to their usual spot. Their friends were already eating and talking, but they had saved seats for the two boys. There were four children that they had gotten very close to. The Brains of the Group: Spencer, age 9, was very intelligent. No matter where he was, he was bound to have a book with him. He had unruly brown hair and glasses. The Pranksters: Haydin and Emmit, age 12. They were the oldest in the group, and they were identical twins, with about shoulder length red hair. They were pulling pranks and causing mischief any chance that they got. Then there was Celena. No matter what, she always had a smile on her face. Her and Harry were virtually inseparable. They were the sweetest of the group. Draco was the leader in the group. He would form the plan, work out the details of it with Spencer, and then help the twins execute it.

Draco and Harry took their seats. Draco leaned across the table. "When do you think she'll find them?" he asked the twins. All three wore the same devious smirk.

Spencer closed his book and shifted his glasses. "Ms. Eman follows a very strict schedule." He began watching the clock. "She should find them in 5-4-3-2-" He pointed at the exact moment that there was a loud, high-pitched scream from another room. The four boys began to laugh maliciously.

The whole dining hall fell silent when Ms. Eman came in, holding a writhing sack in her hand. She wore a black suit and her dark hair was pinned back into a tight bun. She had a furious expression on her harsh, pointed face. Her gaze traveled around the room, settling on the four boys who were desperately trying to stifle giggles and smirks. "Get over here. Now!" she snapped, indicating them.

They walked over, as if condemned to hang, all humor now gone from their faces. She reached into the bag and pulled out three snakes. "I found these in my office. Any thoughts as to how they might have gotten there?" Her gaze fixed on to Draco.

Draco nodded his head. "I did it…"

"No, he didn't! We did!" the twins cried. "We were the ones that put them in your office."

"But it was my idea," Draco said. "I'm the one that told you guys to do it, so I'm the one that should be held responsible."

"Enough!" she hissed. "I don't care who did it. You're ALL going to be punished. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?!"

Draco looked up, his eyes turning a stormy grey. He reached out and grabbed one of the snakes. It wrapped around his arm, resting its head on his hand. "It's not dangerous at all, actually. They're garter snakes. Harmless."

"I don't care what kind they are. They have no business being in my orphanage. If they had gotten loose-"

"They're just snakes! Damn!" Draco's hands flew to his mouth, followed swiftly by the hands of Haydin and Emmit. Spencer was too terrified to move.

She pursed her lips and her eyes seared at Draco. "I do not tolerate vulgarity, young man." She seized his ear and led him out of the room. The others cautiously crept to the doors to see what would happen to him. She pulled out a leather strap from a desk drawer. The other children winced as five loud snaps echoed in the hall as the strap bit into Draco's hand, leaving behind angry, red welts. Some of the cuts had begun bleeding freely by the time she finished. Draco's eyes burned with hot tears, but he refused to let them fall.

Ms. Eman gave him a look filled with anger and disappointment. She darted her gaze to the doors of the dining hall. "As you were! Unless you'd like to join him!" All the kids ran back to their tables, some of the younger ones were crying. She gave Draco one last contemptuous look before storming down the corridor to her office.

Draco sank to his knees, clutching his hand. _'Damn it!'_ he thought. _'That bloody hurt! She shouldn't be allowed to do stuff like that…'_ He went to stand and felt two pairs of hands helping to steady him. He looked up into the shocked faces of the twins.

"That was brutal…" said Emmit.

"She's a cranky old hag, ain't she?" Haydin said, glancing down towards her office. "One I guess I could understand, but five!? That's just cruel."

Celena scurried over, looking very concerned, but also a little excited. "We should treat your wound right away!" She loved playing the part of a nurse. Draco was her usual patient. "Do you still have those bandages?"

Draco smiled. "Yeah, I do. I put them in a box under my bed." She wasted no time finding them. They sat on his bed and she began wrapping his injured hand.

"What did you do, anyway?" she inquired.

"Nothing," he said. "Ms. Eman just doesn't know how to take a joke…" He wasn't going to tell her what actually happened. She was terrified of snakes, and he didn't want to upset her.

They walked together and met up with the others out in the courtyard. The children played while waiting for visitors to show up. Draco always felt a little uneasy around the strangers. The others had gotten used to it, but he wasn't quite as trusting as they were.

Before lunch, seven of the children had been adopted, but their group remained. Draco sat down at their table, lost in deep thought. The others had their lunch trays filled, but he had only grabbed a green apple. "I'm just not all that hungry…" he would say when it was brought up.

A couple stood at the front desk, both in their late thirties. The woman had light brown hair and jade green eyes. The man had eyes the shade of forget-me-nots and long, black hair pulled back into a ponytail. They were slender and tall, appearing to be very kind-hearted and caring.

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Doxas, the children are out in the courtyard. Feel free to sit and observe them, talk to them, play with them if you wish. They are quite used to strangers," said Ms. Eman when the couple had completed the paperwork.

The couple sat on a bench, simply watching the kids play.

"They're all adorable…" Mrs. Doxas said. She was scanning the large mass of children when her gaze fell upon a fair boy with platinum blond hair doing a cart-wheel. She watched as a smaller, raven-haired boy attempted to do the same, but, unlike his companion, he fell to the ground. The blonde helped him back to his feet and brushed him off. She nodded to herself.

Her husband had followed her gaze. "They're perfect," he said, having spotted the two boys that had caught his wife's attention.

They stood and went over to speak to the beautiful young boys. "Hello," he said when they looked at him. "What are your names?" he asked as he sat down on the grass.

"I'm Harry…" said the raven-haired boy timidly from behind the other boy.

"I'm Draco." The blonde seemed far more confident in himself than his smaller companion.

"What happened to your hand, Draco?" Mr. Doxas asked gently.

Draco instinctively reached for his bandaged hand. "I fell…" he said. "On the rock." He pointed at a rather large boulder in the corner of the courtyard. "I was climbing it and I slipped."

_'Oh, he's going to be a handful…'_ Mr. Doxas thought. He could see through Draco's lie, but he had to admit: the kid was pretty good.

Mrs. Doxas sat beside her husband. "Would you two like to become a part of our family?" she asked gently with a sweet smile.

Harry's face split into a huge grin and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, we would," Draco said. He gave a light smile and nod as he spoke. He was hit with a multitude of feelings: joy, excitement, fear, concern, anxiety, sadness. _'What about the others? Celena? Emmit? Haydin? Spencer? Will we ever see them again?'_ he thought.

Ms. Eman strolled over. "So, you've decided on these two, then?" The couple and the brothers all nodded. "Very well. Follow me and we shall get the paperwork all in order."

They said goodbye to all their friends. Poor little Celena had cried very hard. She was happy that they had found a home, but she was going to miss her 'big brothers' an awful lot. Mrs. Doxas had given all four of them the address and phone number of the house so they could keep in contact.

"If you don't mind my asking- and you don't have to answer-" Mr. Doxas said to the boys as they walked out to the car, "Do you remember your parents' names?"

Harry shook his head 'no'. Mr. Doxas looked to Draco. He gave a curt nod. "Potter…" he said, getting into the car. "Our parents were Lily and James Potter…"

The car started down the road towards Harry and Draco's new life.

Note: Like I said, doesn't flow very well. But I just wanted to get them adopted, so it worked perfectly well for my purposes. Anyway, I hope you liked it. I will be posting the fourth chapter as soon as I get it written. Idk when that'll be, but I'll do my best to get it done soon. Again, thanks for reading my stuff and I'd LOVE to hear from you guys. So, reviews and story ideas would be greatly appreciated. Doesn't have to be Harry Potter. It can be deathnote, naruto, ouran high school host club, black butler, a crossover, ANYTHING! Kk. That's my "rant". Love u guys! ^-^


	4. Chapter 4

Authors note: K. So, this is chapter 4, in case you couldn't count. It didn't go quite as I wanted it to, but it tells about Draco and Harry's first year at their new home. And I'm just gonna say: even though everything seems to be going good for them now, it's really not. Anyone that has read my stories before knows that I have a tendency to be quite cruel to Draco. See where this is going? Please review.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to… *drum roll* Not me! I own nothing, so please… don't yell at me…

Chapter 4: Welcome Home…

They had been in their new home for a year now. It was back in the woods, but it had a huge yard, filled with flowers and trees. The giant oak tree had a swing attached to it. However, not everything was as perfect as it seemed. Odd things had started happening around Draco. Glass would spontaneously shatter, lights would go completely haywire, objects would fall from walls or shelves for no reason, that sort of thing. Mr. and Mrs. Doxas were highly superstitious and a bit medieval in their thinking. They believed that Draco was under demonic possession. They would attempt to exorcise him violently. It became a regular occurrence, as the incidents' did not stop.

"Why do they do that to you?" Harry asked one night, after Draco had been beaten.

"Because I've been misbehaving. At least, in their eyes I have…" Draco replied through gritted teeth as he sat down on his bed.

"But, it isn't your fault." Harry went and sat next to his brother. "It's not like you're doing it on purpose or anything." He looked at the older boy and was startled to see tears rolling down Draco's bruised cheeks. Gently, he wrapped his arms around his brother and simply held him until they were both overcome by sleep.

The next morning was like any other. The boys did their chores and headed down to breakfast. Mr. Doxas was already immersed in his morning paper, as usual. Mrs. Doxas was busy changing the flowers in the vase from yellow daisies to pink roses. The table had already been set.

"Eat up, boys," she said, gleefully. Her eyes saddened as she looked sympathetically at Draco. _'He's too hard on Draco… He's just a child, after all…'_ she thought as she turned her attention back to the vase.

As they ate, there was an odd tapping noise at the front door. "Draco, go and see what's making that awful racket." Mr. Doxas said as the noise doubled. Draco opened the door and was quite surprised by what he found. There were two owls, each carrying letters in their beaks, sitting on the front doorstep. They had been pecking and scratching at the door. The birds spat the letters out at his feet and gave two loud hoots before soaring away.

Rather confused, Draco stooped down and picked up the letters. His confusion only increased as he saw Harry's name as well as his own written on the letters: one for each of them.

"Well, what was it?" Mr. Doxas asked, still reading over the paper.

"Umm… Owls." Draco began to wonder if he had gone mental. He looked down at the letters he held in his hands. "They had letters for Harry and me…"

Mrs. Doxas looked both amused and intrigued. "Oh, really? How odd…" she said as Draco handed Harry his letter. "Well, let's open them and see what this is all about."

Draco's eyes widened as he read the letter aloud:

Dear Mr. Doxas,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Mr. Doxas nearly choked on his coffee. "School of WHAT!?" he sputtered. He snatched the letter that Draco held out to him. "No," he said. "There's no way on Earth I'll let my sons be trained in the devil's magic."

"Well," Draco said, "We're going to learn it anyway, so we might as well-"

"No! You're not!" Mr. Doxas interrupted. "Witchcraft is a sinful act. Possessing the ability alone is sin enough, but to actually perform the deed…"

"If 'He' gave us the ability when 'He' created us, how could it be called a sin?!" Draco's voice practically dripped poison as he spoke. He had never been thoroughly convinced by the Doxas' religious beliefs. He saw too many holes in the logic.

Mr. Doxas did not appreciate the blondes tone. "Go to your room. Both of you!" he barked. "You're not going to that so-called 'school', understood!?" The boys fled up the stairs as their "father" continued to rant.

"Why is he so mad about it?" Harry asked quietly as Draco closed the door and locked it. "What makes magic a bad thing? All the story books have some sort of magic in them. And it's almost always good… So, why does he hate it?"

"I don't think he 'hates' it…" Draco said thoughtfully, sitting on his bed. "I think he's afraid of it, because he doesn't understand it. Unfortunately, most people tend to be like that." He turned his gaze back to Harry. "They don't give the 'unusual' a fair chance to prove that it isn't as bad as people make it out to be." Harry scooted close, urging Draco to elaborate. Draco tried to think of a way to relate it to something that the slightly younger boy could more easily grasp. "Remember in _'Beauty and the Beast'_ how frightened the villagers were of Beast?" Harry gave a nod. "Well, they were afraid of him because he was mysterious, kept to himself, and was SO different from them. They didn't understand him, so they feared and hated him. Make sense?"

Harry nodded. "So, we're the Beast and dad is the villager people?"

Draco inwardly cringed. He refused to call the man who so obviously hated him his "dad". He, unlike Harry, could remember his father. He was a great, kind-hearted, loving man. And he had been a wizard. He wouldn't give the man who constantly beat him the same title as his late father. "Yeah… We're the Beast, and he's the ignorant village idiot…" Draco said. Though his heart was filled to the brim with ice, he showed Harry nothing but warmth and kindness, giving him a gentle smile. "It'll all work out. Don't worry about it."

Note: So? What did you think? Did you like it? Did you hate it? I'd love to hear what you're thinking. And since I'm no mind reader, I can only know through reviews. So, please help my inner eye see what's going on in your minds. ^-^


	5. Chapter 5

Authors Note: I am SO sorry that it has taken me this long to get back to this story. A year plus is just unacceptable. My apologies. I hope you like the chapter and I hope to update relatively soon.

Draco and Harry sat on the floor in front of the telly. The blonde boy was absent-mindedly flipping through the channels. He stopped when he came across a program about the Salem witch trials.

Mr. Doxas walked past the door, peering in to check on the boys. He didn't pay much mind to the program until he distinctly heard the words 'Black Magic'. His temper flared higher when he heard Draco say, "See, Harry? People like us have always been mistreated and misunderstood. Even in America…"

The dark-haired man stormed into the room. He snatched up the remote and turned off the television. "How many times do I have to tell you, Draco?!" he roared. "Absolutely NO mention of that evil practice in my house!"

"It isn't evil!" Draco was now on his feet. "Don't you read?! There were plenty of white witches that healed people's wounds and cured their illnesses. There are still a lot of cultures today that have Shaman that are in charge of healing and protecting the tribe. So, why can't we go to-"

"Enough!" Mr. Doxas looked furious. "I will have no more of this nonsense! You are not going to that school and that is final!"

"It isn't nonsense! It's magic!" Draco gasped as his adopted father grabbed him by the back of the shirt and led him to the stairs. He pushed him toward them, indicating for him to climb.

"Get to your room, Draco! You are grounded!" Without a word, the blonde stormed up the staircase and into his and Harry's room, slamming the door behind him.

Furious, Draco threw himself down on to his bed, buried his head in his pillow, and simply shouted until he was calm. _'Why am I the one that gets punished when all I'm doing is telling the truth?! We ARE wizards! And we WILL learn magic, whether he likes it or not…'_ He could hear the sounds of Mr. and Mrs. Doxas talking below. It sounded like Mrs. Doxas was trying to calm her husband, and it seemed to be working, too. It was to the point that Draco couldn't make out what the couple was saying.

After about ten minutes, Draco heard the sound of the front door opening. He cracked open the bedroom door, trying to hear what was going on. "Honestly, Robert… He's just a boy. Can't he come with us?" As always, Mrs. Doxas spoke softly and with little determination to actually get her way. "No, Rose, he can't. He's grounded. That means he only leaves the house for school. Nothing more." Mr. Doxas' voice was hard, leaving little room for argument. Draco heard Rose sigh and knew that she had given up arguing, as she so often did with her husband. He heard the sounds of three people going through the door and then the latching of the lock.

He went over to his window and saw them clambering into the car, no doubt on their way to the zoo as they had planned for weeks. Harry looked up at the window and spotted his brother. He gave a sad wave, his face rather crest-fallen. Draco waved back before the dark-haired boy was shepherded into the back seat of the vehicle. He watched as they pulled out of the driveway and drove away, heading toward town.

He turned away from the window, moving toward his small mirror on the wall. The more Draco gazed at his own reflection, the more the anger began to boil in his veins. Without entirely realizing what he was doing he swung his fist at the glass, shattering the mirror. When he lowered his hand he saw that he was bleeding. Throwing a sigh he went over to his bed, kneeling beside it and pulling out a box from underneath. He pulled out the bandage wrap from the orphanage. He sat in the center of his bed, his legs crossed, and began wrapping his hand. A tear sprang to his eye as he remembered the look on Celena's face whenever she would bandage him up.

000

His eyes opened slowly as he heard as faint knocking at the door. He sat up and stretched, running his fingers through his hair. _'Must've dozed off…'_ he thought. When the thumping on the front door persisted he edged his way from the room. The blonde snuck silently over to the door, carefully peering out the window to the side of the entrance. He tilted his head to the side curiously: standing on the other side of the door was an elderly man with a long white beard, wearing a lavender suit. _'Is this guy serious?'_

He stood behind the door and called so the man could hear him. "My parents aren't here, sir."

The man spoke back, his voice gentle and warm. "Well, perhaps you could help me. I'm looking for two boys: Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter."

"Who are you, mister?" Draco couldn't keep the slight unease out of his voice. Who was this man? How did he know Draco and Harry's names?

The old man gave a light, melodious laugh. "How very rude of me… I beg your pardon. My name is Albus Dumbledore. I'm the headmaster at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Draco was certain that his heart had stopped. He didn't see any way that this man could know about the school if he weren't telling the truth. He opened the door a slight crack, peeking out at the man, but he left the chain in place. The man gave him a warm smile. "Hello, Draco…"

"How did you know I wasn't Harry?"

The man named Dumbledore shrugged lightly. "You look too much like your father, I suppose."

Draco opened the door a bit wider. "You knew my father?"

The headmaster nodded. "I knew your mother as well. And Harry's parents too."

Draco quickly shut the door. Dumbledore was confused at first but then he heard the rattling of the chain against the door. Slowly, it opened back up. Draco stood there, looking a bit nervous but mostly curious. "Would you…" he started, his voice soft. "Would you like to come in? For some tea or something?"

Dumbledore gave a courteous nod. "Thank you, Draco. That's very kind." Draco stepped aside and allowed the man to enter, still a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. They each took a seat on separate couches, facing each other. "I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here…" Dumbledore said, leaning slightly toward the boy as if he feared being overheard. Draco nodded, finding that he had no voice to use. "We have not received yours or Harry's owls back. We wish to know whether you will be attending the school."

"I wish…" Draco said, his tone sad. "But Robert won't hear of it. He thinks magic is evil. I've tried to reason with him to the contrary, but he doesn't listen…"

The headmaster simply gazed at the 11-year-old for a moment. He was stumped by this child, who appeared wiser than his years at such a tender age. "Do you and Harry have the desire to learn how to control your abilities?"

Draco gave an eager nod. "Very much so, sir."

"And I would assume that you have both already started displaying some of these abilities, yes?"

Draco shrugged. "Harry more than me. His is always really strong. I don't even know if I can actually do anything…"

"But aren't you the one who is punished for the acts of magic?" The aged wizard believed he already knew how the youth would respond.

Draco nodded and then shook his head. "Well, yes: I'm the one that gets in trouble. But I'm usually just covering for Harry… I don't want him to get hurt… I don't think any of the magic has actually been from me."

Dumbledore nodded lightly. "I think you might be surprised, Draco." He turned to the empty fireplace and pointed to it. "Try igniting the fire, Draco."

Draco simply shook his head. "But, sir, I've already told you: I can't do any magic yet."

Dumbledore gave him a small smile and peered at him over his half-moon glasses. "I know it might be a bit strange since you don't even know me. But I'm going to ask you to trust me. Just focus on the fire. Clear your head of all emotion and thought not pertaining to the flames…"

As the man spoke, Draco turned his attention back to the fireplace. _'This is ridiculous…' _he thought, mentally rolling his eyes. _'Honestly, does he really expect me to- No… Only focus on the fire… only focus on the fire…'_ His eyes drifted shut, his mental mantra continuing. He heard a faint _whoosh_ from in front of him. When he opened his eyes, he saw a fire blazing behind the grate. He was slightly stunned, but then became skeptical.

He turned to the man. "Did you do it?"

The headmaster shook his head. "I did not. You did it all on your own, Draco. By channeling your emotions and thoughts into the fire, you ignited it. You seem to have more self-control than Harry…" His soft voice took on a pensive tone.

The blonde got slightly defensive. "Harry has very strong magic. He'll be fantastic as a wizard."

"Oh, I'm not saying he won't. Far from it. He possesses very strong, raw power. I simply meant that he lacks refinement. That's precisely what we would teach the two of you at Hogwarts: How to control magic, as well as a few new tricks." He gave a light wink, his ice blue eyes twinkling brightly.

"But how could we possibly go if our guardians won't give us permission?" Draco had made a habit of questioning things lately. "I mean, we can't simply run away…"

Dumbledore shook his. "Oh, no. We could never condone such behavior simply to come to the school. No, I think I'll have to speak to them. Try to help them see reason."

Draco nodded. He suddenly remembered that Dumbledore had used their first and last names. "Sir?" The headmaster turned to him. "Would there be any way that we could change my name? For attendance sheets and such at the school? As far as Harry knows, we are true brothers and my name is Potter as well…"

The elderly wizard raises an eyebrow, not having seen that one coming. "I see… You don't want to hurt him by telling him the truth… I'm afraid we cannot legally change your last name to Potter, though. That would be falsifying documents that the Ministry of Magic requires."

Draco dropped his head with a sigh, realizing that Harry would obviously find out after hearing 'Draco MALFOY'… A light bulb lit in his brain. "Sir? What if we changed both mine and Harry's last names to 'Doxas' on the documents? Technically that wouldn't falsify anything as 'Doxas' is our adopted name now."

He watched as the man thought about this. Slowly, Dumbledore began to nod. "I think we could do that…" Just as he finished speaking, they heard the sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway and Draco got impossibly paler.

"They're back! I'm going to get into so much trouble…" Draco looked as if he were going to be ill, cradling his head in his hands.

Dumbledore put a reassuring hand on the fair boy's shoulder. "It'll be alright, Draco. Just let me handle the talking, alright?"

Draco nodded. Seconds later, the lock clicked and the door swung open. "Draco we're-" Mr. Doxas stopped where he stood, mere feet inside the front door. "Who are you?! What are you doing in my house?!" He made a move for Draco. "Get away from my son!" He pulled the blonde away from the man he assumed was a threat in some way, despite his age and lavender suit.

Dumbledore spoke calmly, seeming to be completely unfazed. "You misunderstand my intentions. I'm the headmaster of Hogwarts. I've come to have a discussion with you and your family about your boys attending the school. You seem to be under the illusion that it is an evil practice, but I can assure you this isn't the case."

Harry looked excited as Draco whispered in his ear, telling him what was going on. Mr. and Mrs. Doxas looked alarmed. "They are NOT going to that school, do you hear me?!" Mr. Doxas roared, his eyes hardening.

Dumbledore gave a light nod. "Oh, yes, I can hear you. We are in the same room after all. Is it really necessary to shout?" Draco and Harry try to suppress their giggles. The old wizard's face takes on a more serious expression. "Please, can we sit and talk about this? I understand that you are not very fond on magic, but I believe that is only because you were only ever introduced to the dark side of it. For I assure you, there is far more good magic than bad and it is nothing to fear."

Mrs. Doxas looked intrigued. Her husband was not so convinced. After examining the strange man for another moment, Robert turned to the two boys. "Go up to your room. We have things to discuss with Mr. –"

"Dumbledore," the elderly wizard offered.

Mr. Doxas gave a slightly distasteful nod. "- Dumbledore…"

Harry and Draco quickly made their way up to their bedroom. "Are we going to get to go to the school?!" Harry asked excitedly as Draco shut the door. "Are we going to learn magic?! I'm so excited!"

The blonde boy couldn't help but laugh at his little brother. "Harry, calm down. I don't know if we'll get to go or not. But the man down stairs is a professor. If anyone can talk some sense into Robert it's him."

Time seemed to crawl by as the boys waited up in their room. Harry had been fiddling with a broken toy. Draco had started pacing. "I wonder what's going on down there…" he mused aloud. "Clearly they haven't had a row, or else we would have heard it… I wonder if Professor Dumbledore got through to them… That would explain why it's taking so long. Robert has always been a bit of a d-"

He was cut off when Rose called up the stairs. "Boys! Could you come down here?"

They scurried out of their room and scampered down the stairs. They slowed as they entered the living room, not wanting to appear wild to the professor. Robert turned to them. "Sit down, boys." His tone was much more subdued than they had ever heard it. Except maybe the day they met at the orphanage…

He sighed as he turned to face the two 11 year olds. "We have decided that you will be allowed to attend this school." The boys' eyes lit up at this, their hearts flipping in their chests. "But," the dark-haired man added. "There will be rules. 1) You have to keep your grades up: no slacking off just because we aren't there to make sure you do your work."

Rose chimed in, a smile on her face. "2) You have to write home at least once a month to let us know that you're alright. And to simply tell us what's been happening." She always did have a lighter air about her than her husband.

Mr. Doxas took over once more. 3) If we should be notified of any extreme disciplinary problems, you will be brought straight home. Am I clear?" The boys nodded in agreement, finding these to be rather reasonable expectations. "One last rule. This is the most important. While you are home over breaks," the boys were slightly worried with this one, but then Robert smiled. "You must tell us everything that you have left out of your letters."

Mr. Doxas opened his arms, something he had rarely done in a while, and embraced his adopted sons. When they pulled apart, he gave them a slightly sterner look. "Needless to say, though, I will not permit you to use magic in the house."

Dumbledore piped up. "That won't be a problem, Mr. Doxas. Students are forbidden to use magic outside of Hogwarts, under penalty of expulsion. Unless, of course, they are put into life-threatening situations."

Mr. Doxas gave a curt nod. The room had a rather cheerful atmosphere as the headmaster stood. He plucked a pair of letters from in inside pocket of his suit. "There is a list of everything you will need for the school year enclosed. I look forward to seeing you at the begging of the term." With a bright smile and a sparkle in his eye, he headed for the door.

Mr. Doxas called out and stopped him. "I'm sorry, but where do we get all of this?"

Dumbledore gave a small laugh. "Forgive me. I so often forget… I would be more than happy to send a friend of mine to take you there. Or, if you would prefer, I could take you myself. It wouldn't be until a week or so before the start of term…"

Mr. Doxas shook his head lightly. "I wouldn't want to impose on you to come for us again… What's your friend's name? What does he look like?"

Dumbledore smiled once more. "That is very kind of you. His name is Hagrid. He's a rather large fellow. Very difficult to miss… If you like, I shall owl you what time he would be here to collect you?"

Rose gave a nod and returned his smile. "That would be lovely. Thank you."

With that, the elderly wizard gave a nod and began walking off down the street. Mr. and Mrs. Doxas returned inside, followed shortly by Harry. In doing so, they all missed what Draco saw. The man stopped at the end of the road, looked around briefly, and vanished in a small puff of smoke.

Note: Ta-Da! I understand that it was rather rough, but I needed to get them able to go. And, this seemed the easiest, most logical way of doing that. I'm so sorry that I kept you all waiting for so long.


End file.
